How should government laws, programs and policies be measured for success

????Measuring the success of government activity at the state and federal level can be a daunting task but with the right criteria it can be done.?The question to be asked and answered is what determines the success of a government program, regulations, policies or executive departments.?The main point in this evaluation is whether the objective has been reached and if not whether funds should continue to be allocated.?Granted there are programs which must continue to be funded based on their importance such as Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security but in other cases this is not the case.?Laws, programs and regulations associated with them must be monitored to determine if they are meeting the objectives identified when they were created.??The examples provided in the preceding sentence need some kind of action to make them solvent.?Too often in the past funds deposited in these programs have been reallocated with a promise to replace the funds at a later date.?These funds have never been replaced and are the reason why they are in their present financial condition.?

?????First and most important is the need to examine the laws generated and the process involved.?The current philosophy at least in the federal government is that anyone can propose legislative action and whether it becomes law depends on the support, approach and content contained within each.?The key evaluator is the perception they receive by the voting public for it is these individuals who will have the final say at the voting booth.?Many laws are either created each year or they are revised based on the need.?There have been cases at the state level that old laws on the books are sometimes discovered and action is taken to remove them from an active list.??

????I have touched on laws now it is time to address evaluating programs.?Have you ever noticed when a program is created it continues to be funded well past the original intent. It should be understood however that things change and sometimes programs are necessary stay in place based on their need.?Each program should stand on its merits along with their importance.?Many programs are still in place even though they may have outlived their usefulness.?This is one area where a reduction in spending is possible. The decision to cut off funds should however be based on the facts not opinion.?

????Programs are not always created at the legislative level but can be created by executive departments.?We do not hear much about these kinds of programs or whether they are meeting the objectives put in place.?